Artifacts from making my inlaid guitar and lute.

[george wilson]

These are odds and ends from making the inlaid guitar(mostly) and a little templet I made for the lute rose. I didn't take time to photograph the lute. It is at George Wilson Guitar Maker. Google that if you want to see the rose,to know what I'm talking about.

The first photos are the very shopworn leftovers from sawing marquetry for the inlaid guitar. The guitar is in the FAQ section here if you don't know what I'm referring to.

The marquetry is performed by sawing through 2 layers of veneer at once,with a very small blade. Then,the different layers are slip fitted into the opposite layer(s). In this case,the 2 woods are walnut and holly. The vine on the guitar is white,and the background is walnut. These are the reverse leftovers from the pieces that were not used. These leftovers are damaged,but recognizable.

The 2nd. photo is a little template I made from thin Brass and maple. It was used to lay out the 16 sections of the rose on a boxwood blank preparatory to sawing it out,then carving it with small carving tools into the 3 dimensional finished rose.

There is a photo of the original drawing on tracing paper of the silver wire inlay on the neck of the guitar,I still have in my pattern book that I made while working in public. I see it is out of focus,sorry. It looked o.k. in the small screen on the back of the camera. The extra pencil drawing is where the fingerboard meets the guitar body. It is inlaid with a thin black line. This is a half plan,just trace it,and flip it over for the other side. Dots added separately.

The 2 photos of me and the lute are newspaper release photos from 1970,when I was working on the lute at age 29. Colonial Williamsburg would release these photographs,sometimes with captions attached for the media. When they were out of date,they'd sometimes send them to the craftsman to keep,which was nice. The first one is me,holding the mold I made to make the inlaid lute. Another lute body of cherry is on the bench,and the neck for the inlaid lute,not yet engraved is seen behind it.

In the 2nd. photo of me,the neck has been engraved,and the boxwood body of the inlaid lute is shown. I am fitting the sliding dovetail of the lute into the body. The neck of an alto Viola Da Gamba is to the left in the picture. I was in costume in this picture.

I hope you enjoy seeing some bits and pieces of my earlier work's leftovers.

[george wilson]

Having been accused of not making these instruments by a jealous punk,I posted these items as proof that I did these,and all other works I have posted.

[Bruce Page]

There was never a doubt in my mind George.
I know a Craftsman when I see one.

[george wilson]

I appreciate it,Bruce. The posting denying my life's work was soon deleted. A few may have seen it. The jealousy of this person was clearly revealed in his outrageous posts. His character was clearly revealed to all who saw it.

A person like me,who's work was done in public for many years cannot lie very long without being found out. I am too well known to be posting work I didn't do.

His other accusations that I "can't do it anymore",and "I am an old gimp" have caused me to post recent work. I could go on for quite a while posting recent work,actually. I just never get around to taking pictures,and never was good at documenting my work. I have hundreds of slides I need to get put onto a disc. They were all done with 400 speed film,and I'm not sure how well they will look blown up.

[Roy Lindberry]

George, you surely are a craftsman. I'm amazed at your work.

[David Weaver]

I doubt too many people ever questioned whether or not you did the work. I definitely didn't. If anyone ever wanted to question anyone, you'd think they'd pick someone who didn't have so much credited work online.

I hope someone is archiving all of the posts lately of recent and not-so-recent work, too. I know it's a pain to organize stuff to post it - takes a lot of time. It should be preserved.

[John Coloccia]

Having been accused of not making these instruments by a jealous punk,I posted these items as proof that I did these,and all other works I have posted.

Oh, come on George. LMII sells all this marquetry stuff under their "Mostly Not Wood" section. I've been to Colonial Williamsburg and have seen your huge shop full of CNC equipment and pre-made lutes and inlays. You no-talent hack.

LOL.

:D

[george wilson]

ThanksJohn. I wish I knew how to use CNC stuff. Holtey does some nice things with his plane making with them. I have a NASA machinist friend who converted his Jet milling machine to do CNC. It works pretty well. He bought ball screws and servo motors,etc. to convert it.

I don't know,I just can't get into it . I'm strictly a 1940's seat of the pants machinist and general craftsman.

I knew a lute kit maker years ago. I sold him thousands of lute pegs I made on a tracer lathe I made from scratch(still have it.Too filthy to photograph). He got his intricate roses cut with a laser. They were CLEAN! But,not quite round,just a little bit off. He tried to keep his secret,but couldn't help telling me they were laser cut. The reason they weren't quite round was that the laser was bounced off a mirror and onto the lute top. It seemed like a round about way to do it. I thought they should have adjusted the pattern to make the roses come out perfectly round.

[Thomas love]

I would be happy knowing what you forgot George, your skill set is hard for me to comprehend at times.... yet inspirational.

The notion that someone would question your ability on this site wreaks of ignorance and jealousy. Thanks for all you contribute here, you are a rare bird.

tom

[Harlan Barnhart]

Oh, come on George. LMII sells all this marquetry stuff under their "Mostly Not Wood" section. I've been to Colonial Williamsburg and have seen your huge shop full of CNC equipment and pre-made lutes and inlays. You no-talent hack.

LOL.

:D

I get it John. You are trying to motivate Mr. Wilson to post more stuff. Great idea! :)

[Harlan Barnhart]

Mr. Wilson, I really appreciate your work and your posts here. I know its extra work to document and post stuff but there people out here inspired by your work.

[John Coloccia]

Most may not know this, but if you look online, you will find a nice collection of videos posted with a very young lad named George making harpsichords, violins, and directing his journeymen to do the same. In fact, now that I think of it this is probably the same guy that our own George Wilson (you know, the old grumpy fellow) got all that work from that he's trying to pass off as his own.

:D

[John Shuk]

The internet has lots of trolls.
The Creek manages them pretty flawlessly.
Thats why I love it here.
I've said this before George.... You are a national treasure in my eyes.

[george wilson]

John,I didn't know it either! googled George Wilson harpsichord. Apparently you can view the whole Musical Instrument Maker of Williamsburg film in 9 1/2 minute segments. I clicked on maestronet,and somebody has listed all 6 parts of the video. I didn't watch but 1. Seems strange that Williamsburg put the whole film on the internet when they still sell the video. maybe someone else did it,I don't know.

Thanks for letting me know about it,John. I was 33 in that film,and Marcus was27. With that silly hat,beard,and those tiny spectacles,he looks a lot older! I forget Larry's age,but think he was about Marcus's age.

The film was made in both the Instrument wing and the Cabinet Shop,since both were linked in the 18th.C. advertisement mentioned at the beginning of the film.

[Mike Cutler]

His other accusations that I "can't do it anymore",and "I am an old gimp" have caused me to post recent work. .

George

Even if this part were true, which for all of us it will be one day, to have ever been able to do it at all is enough.

As always. Gorgeous work.

[george wilson]

I have had 14 surgeries,and an implant in my back. Had my neck fused. I'm always in pain to one degree or another. Had an epidural in my back just yesterday. I have cataracts in my eyes,though I can still see what I'm doing. I need lenses in my eyes.

It doesn't mean that I can't do my work. I'm nearly 70. If some younger person thinks he can go on forever,it's because he hasn't gotten old yet.

As a young person,we lived a real pioneering life in Alaska. I spent my spare time and Summers carrying lumber up a long hill, building a house,clearing out trees,sawing up logs,drilling holes with a hand cross handle auger to set dynamite into stumps 2' deep, digging a 500' ditch 4' deep with a mattock to bury the water pipes deep enough that they wouldn't freeze,and carrying oil up the hill at 5:00 AM before walking to school. Lots more than that,too.

My skeleton got pretty worn out,and now I'm feeling the effects. I used to be 6' 5". Now,I'm only 6' 3".

My mother was a maniacal perfectionist. All that stuff made me learn to pay attention to detail,and be persistent.

I can still handle my 115# milling vise,and lay down a 20" Delta bandsaw(with table removed) and set it back up. I'm restoring it. Not things I want to do often!

[Steve Branam]

Wow, I am going to have to watch all these videos tonight! George, don't let the jerks get you down, but the one service that guy did for the rest of us is to let us see what you've done. "Gorgeous, inspirational" don't begin to say it.

[Tristan Williams]

It doesn't mean that I can't do my work. I'm nearly 70. If some younger person thinks he can go on forever,it's because he hasn't gotten old yet.

Keep it up George, you're but a spring chicken! My grandfather passed away at 90 and he was still working in his shop up until 88 or so. He only gave up working at the lathe when his eyesight started getting really poor (cataracts and glaucoma) at around 82, and after that he mostly did carvings. He made a few lovely little brass spokeshaves, too. Quite the inspirational character, he was! I just wish I had been old enough to absorb more of his knowledge before he passed on.

[Steve Branam]

George, those videos are spectacularly magnificent beyond belief! Sharp tools in sure hands. The patience and skill they bespeak are unimaginable. They're an education in tools and techniques to which we can all aspire.

[george wilson]

Sorry about the scratchy sounding violin playing!! The Musical Director of Williamsburg had the authority to choose the violinist(a friend of his in the Norfolk Symphony). He did not have the correct technique to play a Baroque violin and make it sound its best. The Concert Master of the Baltimore Symphony ,who I made a lion's head baroque violin for,was a LOT better. But,I hadn't yet met him.

The young woman playing the spinet was quite accomplished. The Music Director was so egotistical,he insisted on dubbing over her playing. It was not necessary.

[Bob Warfield]

I don't post much but just had to comment on this one. Honestly I wondered why George has been posting all of this great informatiom lately, and now I know. Sometimes maybe it's good when some "Punk" opens his or her mouth. I guess I missed the offending post and that's OK. I surely have enjoyed the outcome!
Thank you soo much for shareing a lifes work with us.
Bob Warfield

[Rob Steffeck]

I don't post much but just had to comment on this one. Honestly I wondered why George has been posting all of this great informatiom lately, and now I know. Sometimes maybe it's good when some "Punk" opens his or her mouth. I guess I missed the offending post and that's OK. I surely have enjoyed the outcome!

My thoughts exactly. I've spent the past hour looking through all his recent posts here and am amazed. Its really humbling to see someone with true talent. Not only is his work amazing, but he made many of the tools to make the work. To me, that is the true sign of a craftsman.

George - thank you very much for all your recent posts. I would pay good money to just stand in your shop and watch you work.

[george wilson]

How MUCH good money,Rob?:):):)